BRUSSELS, Feb 4: Aggregate economic confidence indicators for the European Union climbed by 0.4 percent in January from December, apparently confirming a reversal of the negative course since the last quarter of 2000, the European Commission said on Monday.

The January Economic Sentiment Indicator published by the commission’s Economic and Financial Affairs Directorate-General showed an increase of only 0.1 per cent in the 12-nation euro-zone.

It said the change in economic confidence from December to January was positive in 11 member states — Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Austria, Finland, Sweden and Britain — while remaining stable in Italy, and falling in Spain and Portugal.

The developments, said the report, were attributable to the favorable evolution ... in the industrial confidence component of the indicators.

By comparison, the consumer confidence indicator remained “broadly stable,” while the confidence indicator fell in construction and retail trade.

The industrial confidence indicator increased by 3.0 points in both the EU and the euro-zone. Aside from Spain and Portugal, industerialist confidence climbed across the EU, it said.—AFP